Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-06-27

Icoppfga, 1887. by the California associated PressI
VIRGINIA CITY (Nev.). June 26th.-The
gas and smoke have entirely ceased issuing
from the Gould & Curry shaft, indicating
that the fire, if not entirely extinguished,
is smerely smoldering .in the old timbers
down on the floor of the station on the
1900 foot level. Cages with men were
dropped below the 1,3O0-foot level to-day,
but no attempt to extinguish the smolder-
ing fire will be made until the men on the
1,500-foot level are rescued dead or alive.
The drift being run from the Consoli-
dated California and Virginia mine on the
1,5O0-foot level to reach them is cut about fif-
teen feet south of the bottom of the sixteen
foot winze, and sunk TO the level of the point
where the men are confined in the Best &
Belcher The material through which
they are driving is hard porphyry, as
tough as steel. 1t is anticipated that
the connection will be made some
time tomorrow, as there still remains
about eighteen feet to make the
connection. When the drift is advanced a
few feet further hole with Burleigh
drill-bit, ten feet long, will be sent through
the intervening rock so that if the men are
still alive they can be communicated with.
There are sixty picked men, selected from
the most experienced miners on the lode
forming the rescuing party They are di-
yided into three eight-hour shifts. TIVE
Burleigh drills, operated by compressed air,
are used in working the holes for blasting
With this force unprecedented speed in
driving has been attained, and if the con-
nection is made by tomorrow morning,
they will have accomplished a feat in driv-
ing and sinking through hard ground never
equaled in the annals of mining.
Opinions among the miners are about
equally divided in speculating on the
chances of the imprisoned men being
found alive. A stream of cool water and
bountiful supply of fresh air is being con-
tinually sent into the mine by the powerful
surface air compressor, which is kept run
ming at such high rate of speed that it is
necessary to keep jet of cold water pour
ing on the journals 10 keep them from
heating. The air and water sent into the
mine is forced through a four-inch wrought
iron pipe extending into the face of the
drift.
HOPE OF REsCUING THE MEN ALIVE.
As this pipe was not broken off by the
caving of the shaft timbers, there is a
strong probability that the men imprisoned
on the 1500 foot level will be found alive
The fact that they give no sign of vitality
by signaling to their rescuers is not con-
sidered positive evidence of their being
dead. They know that every effort to
reach them is being made, and as they are
experienced miners they know that in or
der to survive until rescued they must take
every precaution against decreasing their
vitality by exhausting their strength in
giving signals. In this they are pursuing
the same tactics as did the miners i'm
prisoned on the >, 2,400-foot level in the Alta.
These were confined in a drift for four
days, but after the first twenty -four hours
no signals were given by them, and all
hopes of recuing them alive were aban-
doned.
NOTES AND INCIDENTS.
The funerals of four of the victims of the
disaster took place this afternoon, and
were largely attended The procession to
the cemetery was headed by 700 miners on
foot
A relief committee to raise fund for the
benefit of the families of the victims of the
fire was organized last evening by the most
prominent residents of Storey county.
kilograms from towns il all parts of the
State have been received announcing that
steps had been taken for raising money for
the same object.
THE DEAD AND IMPRISONED MINERS
John Trounce has wife and two daugh-
ters. He was a native of England and
about 80 years of age.
r. G. Bruce was native of the United
States, single and about 81 years of age.
Andrew Bean was a native of County
Galway, Ireland, and A years of age. He
leaves wife and eight children.
Joncey Morgan. native of Nevada. a
years OF age. He leaves wife, sister of
the wife of Charles f. Mack
q. w. Carpenter was a native of the
United States, about y years of age He
leaves wife.
The nativity and ages of the imprisoned
men are as follows: Edward Jeffrey is
about 2S years of age and has a widowed
mother.
Martin Tregallis is single man, about
% years of age.
Peter Eddy has wife and three children.
He is about 3S years of age
John Kennedy is single man, "a years
OF age and a native of the United States.
Charles Dougherty is supposed TO be mar
ried and is native of America, about "A
years of age.
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